Extensive Sales Research

Extensive research conducted by the American Society for Testing and Development (ASTD) discovered direct training expenditures were 2% of payroll costs with another 10% of more in indirect costs. With all of this interest and dollars being invested in training and development for improved sales, possibly now is the time to assess your sales development.

As tomatoes grow they need support or they will flop to the ground and our fruit will spoil. A trellis needs to be constructed to keep the vine growing the way we want it to grow. Constant attention to the plant and working the vines through the trellis will keep our tomato vine healthy for a long growing season. The same is true with our sales team. They require training and a system of learning new skills to keep them abreast of opportunities for sales. If we have areas we want to grow the business towards, we must train our salespeople to understand the best ways to sell the services we offer. Keeping a sales team trained requires constant interaction and tools for development. Access to a resource library with audio and video sales training tools for this purpose will aid in development.

Most sales people are trustworthy good intentioned people who wake up each day looking for the people they can help. They have absolute confidence that their product or service is a perfect match for many people, and they can’t wait to make those people’s lives better for having met them. These are either your super sales people or super sales people in the making. They understand that buyers must believe that you are doing your best to help them, and protect their interests. It’s easy for them to win a buyers confidence because they are 100% genuine. The more genuine you are, and the more confidence buyers have in you, the greater your sales success.

A super sales person is part friend, part confidant, part expert, part therapist, and always an over the top listener. One of the things a super sales person is always listening for is why people buy. A super sales person knows that people will buy if, and only if, they want your solution. Predominantly they have to have something they really want first, and then you have to help them to see that your solution is the best option for fulfilling that want. That can’t happen until or unless they understand your solution. They won’t understand your solution until you understand their exact want as well as they do, and you’re able to help them discover how your solution is the perfect match.